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Child-directed speech (CDS) differs from adult-directed speech (ADS) in several respects whose possible facilitating effects for language acquisition are still being studied. One such difference concerns articulation rate --- the number of linguistic units by the number of time units, excluding pauses --- which has been shown to be generally lower than in ADS. However, while it is well-established that ADS exhibits an inverse relation between articulation rate and information-theoretic surprisal --- the amount of information encoded in a linguistic unit --- this measure has been conspicuously absent in the study of articulation rate in CDS. Another issue is if the lower articulation rate in CDS is stable across utterances or an effect of local variation, such as final lengthening. The aim of this work is to arrive at a more comprehensive model of articulation rate in CDS by including surprisal and final lengthening. In particular, one-word utterances were studied, also in relation to word-length effects (the phenomenon that longer words generally have a higher articulation rate). To this end, a methodology for large-scale automatic phoneme-alignment was developed, which was applied to two longitudinal corpora of Swedish CDS. It was investigated i) how articulation rate in CDS varied with respect to child age, ii) whether there was a negative relation between articulation rate and surprisal in CDS, and iii) to what extent articulation rate was lower in CDS than in ADS. The results showed i) a weak positive effectof child age on articulation rate, ii) a negative relation between articulation rate and surprisal, and iii) that there was a lower articulation rate in CDS but that the difference could almost exclusively be attributed to one-word utterances and final lengthening. In other words, adults seem to adapt how fast they speak to their children's age, speaking faster to children is correlated with a reduced amount of information, and the difference in articulation rate between CDS and ADS is most prominent in isolated words and final lengthening. More generally, the results suggest that CDS is well-suited for word segmentation, since lower articulation rate in one-word utterances provides an additional cue.

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Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / On the growth evaluation of the open-grown trees was selected 57 samples, of which were mensuration many morphometric variables from digital photographs in software AutoCAD and dendrometrics variables in bole increment extracted in diameter breast height (DBH). The development of this research was to described the singular dimensions and recover crown and bole growth from open-grown Cedrela fissilis, corresponding to period 2007-2011, and build mathematical equations to described the growth of variable crown diameter (CD), mantle of the crown (MC), crown diameter in relative heights (CDrh) and periodic annual increment in basal area (PAIb). In the annual lengthening (AL) were observed minimum, maximum and median annual values of 3.0, 91.0 and 32.4 cm, respectively. As well as, serie correlations, determined by Pearson (r = 0.76 a 0.86; Pr<.0001), with higher lengthening connected to the lower orders of branching. In periodic lengthening (PL), corresponding to the period of 2007-2011 there were values of up to 1.82 m, found in diameter class 30-40, with a coefficient of variation (CV) up to 67.67%, checked in diametric class > 60. To model growth construction 35 trees were selected from 57 initially sampled considering it crown and bole conditions, having been discarded sample of the > 60 diametric class. To the mantle of the crown variable the model NLMC=b0+b1*(1/DBH)+b2*(DBH²) has good adjust (R²adj.=0.92; VC=6.12%). The equation to annual lengthening of the crown, ALC=b0+b1*(NLCAI)+b2*(DBH) showed adjustment and precision (R²adj.=0.50; VC=35.95%), it explaining until 50% total variance, but with higher percent residual. With similar precision, the model adjusted to crown growth in diameter, CGD=b0+b1*(NLCAI), had statistical precision defined to R²adj= 0.44 and VC=36.25%, with higher VC resulted from the higher variance in samples. To the CDrh the adjust was represented to R²adj.=0.58 and VC=52.41%, had been defined the model NLCDrh=b0+b1*(NLDBH)+b2*(1/hi²)+b3*(DBH²), with the results of residual evaluations didn t submit normality distribution and homogeny variance. The adjust to CAIb equation showed good statistical precision (R²adj.=0.66; VC=11%), it explaining until 66% total variance from model NLCAIb=b0+b1*(DBH)+b2*(h/d). On the increment descriptive analyses it observed high periodic annual increment in diameter (PAId) and PAIb in the 25, 35 and 45 cm diameter class. The PAId medium, minimum and maximum values correspond to 3.6 cm, 0.7 cm and 7.3 cm. At the 35 and 45 cm class it observed 95.6 and 75.5 PAIb average, respectively. All of the diameter classes it was observed current annual increment in diameter (CAId) higher 2.5 cm. The crown growth reviews from the open-grown trees demonstrated that the crown growth rhythmic and its correlation with the bole increments it turn possible to build growth models characterized to good adjust and statistical efficiency, wherever, it should be stratification methods based in site informations. The methodology analyses with digital photography also showed good precision and practicality, it can be widely used to review singular and open-grown trees. / Na avaliação do crescimento de árvores isoladas foram selecionadas 57 amostras, das quais se mensurou variáveis morfométricas em fotos digitalizadas no software AutoCAD e dendrométricas a partir de rolos de incremento coletados na altura do DAP. O desenvolvimento desta pesquisa teve como objetivo descrever as dimensões individuais e reconstituir o crescimento da copa e fuste de árvores isoladas de Cedrela fissilis, avaliado de 2007 a 2011, e construir equações matemáticas para descrever o crescimento da variável diâmetro da copa (DC), manto de copa (MC), diâmetro da copa em alturas relativas (DChi) e incremento periódico anual em área basal (IPAg). Nos alongamento anuais (ALG) foram verificados valores mínimo, máximo e médio anual de 3,0, 91,0 e 32,4 cm, respectivamente. Assim como correlações em série, determinada por r = 0,76 a 0,86 (Pr<.0001), tendo sido observados maiores alongamentos nas menores ordens de ramificação. Nos alongamentos periódicos (ALGP), correspondente ao período 2007-2011, verificaram-se valores médios de até 1,82 m, observado na classe diamétrica 30-40 cm, com coeficiente de variação (CV) máximo de 67,67%, verificado na classe > 60 cm. Para a construção dos modelos de crescimento foram selecionadas 35 árvores de acordo com sua condição de copa e fuste, sendo descartada a classe diamétrica > 60 cm devido a pouca amostragem. Para o manto de copa o modelo LNMC = b0+b1*(1/DAP)+b2*(DAP²) apresentou bom ajuste (R²aj.= 0,92 e CV = 6,12%). A equação da variável alongamento anual da copa, ALG=b0+b1*(LNICA)+b2*(DAP), apresentou o ajuste comprometido pelo alto erro percentual (R²aj. = 0,50; CV = 35,95%), descrevendo até 50% da variância total. Com precisão semelhante à ALG, o modelo ajustado para a variável crescimento da copa em diâmetro, CCD=b0+b1*(LNICA), apresentou altas taxas de erro percentual, com precisão estatística definida por CV = 36,25%; R²aj. = 0,44. Para o modelo DChi o ajuste foi descrito por R²aj.=0,58 e CV=52,41%, tendo sido definido o modelo LNDChi=b0+b1*(LNDAP)+b2*(1/hi²)+b3*(DAP²), tendo o mesmo não apresentado distribuição normal e heterogeneidade na variância dos resíduos. O ajuste da equação apara o IPAg apresentou boa precisão estatística (R²aj.=0,66; CV=11%), descrevendo até 66% da variância total a partir do modelo LNIPAg=b0+b1*(DAP)+b2*(h/d). Na avaliação descritiva dos incrementos observaram-se elevadas taxas de incremento periódico anual em diâmetro (IPAd) e IPAg nas classes diamétricas 25, 35 e 45 cm. Os valores de IPAd médio, mínimo e máximo foram de 3,6 cm, 0,7 e 7,3 cm, respectivamente. Nas classes 35 e 45 cm verificou-se taxa de IPAg média de 95,6 e 75,5 cm², respectivamente. Em todas as classes de diâmetro foram encontradas taxas de incremento corrente anual em diâmetro (ICAd) superior a 2,5 cm. As análises do crescimento da copa de árvore isoladas demonstraram que o crescimento rítmico da mesma e sua correlação com os incrementos do fuste possibilitam a construção de modelos de crescimento com boa eficiência estatística, porém, devendo se aperfeiçoar a estratificação fazendo uso de informações que descrevam as condições dos sítios. A metodologia de avaliação a partir de fotos digitalizadas também apresentou boa precisão e praticidade, podendo ser amplamente utilizada na avaliação de árvores singulares ou isoladas.

Esta dissertação visa analisar o uso no português brasileiro, doravante PB, da pista prosódica de duração de sílabas na produção e percepção de sentenças ambíguas do tipo SN1-V-SN2-Atributo, tais como A mãe encontrou a filha suada. Tais sentenças apresentam contextos em que pode haver reestruturação de frases fonológicas a depender da interpretação escolhida. Um dos trabalhos que guiaram esta pesquisa foi o de MAGALHÃES & MAIA (2006), no qual os autores também observaram sentenças com ambiguidade devido à presença de um atributo que pode se referir ao sujeito ou ao objeto da oração. Fonologicamente, tais leituras podem ser explicadas pelo fato de o atributo poder ou não se juntar a seu núcleo na construção do domínio da frase fonológica, em que, se há fronteira, um alongamento é esperado (NESPOR & VOGEL, 1996). ANGELO & SANTOS (2012, 2015) concluíram que os falantes não realizaram alongamento significativo, porém, observaram uma tendência a produzir sentenças de aposição não local mais longas. O que se propõe, então, é que o alongamento é um fenômeno existente na língua, mas é opcional. Se isto é verdade, sempre que ele for feito, a sentença deve ser interpretada como não local. Caso contrário, haveria uma variação nas respostas perceptuais ou preferência por aposição local (Princípio da Aposição Local verificado por MAGALHÃES & MAIA (2006) no PB com base no Princípio de Late Closure apontado por FRAZIER (1979)). Dois testes foram realizados: No de produção, além dos 30 falantes de Angelo & Santos, mais 20 foram escolhidos e outros 10 recuperados para que lessem ambas as versões de cada uma das 9 sentenças em meio a histórias que guiavam a um ou outro significado, totalizando 720 dados. No de percepção, foram selecionadas as 3 versões mais longas (de aposição não local) e as 3 mais curtas (de aposição local) do teste de produção para cada sentença, em um teste onde 30 ouvintes selecionaram através de imagens qual a interpretação obtida, totalizando 1620 dados. Primeiramente, os resultados apontaram para diferenças significativas observando o tipo de estrutura (os falantes alongaram e acertaram as não locais). Por tipo de sentença, a diferença foi significativa na maioria delas, confirmando a predição de que, ainda que o alongamento seja opcional na produção, uma vez realizado, ele serve como condutor para uma interpretação não local. Para as sentenças locais, o Princípio de Aposição Local verificado no PB por MAGALHÃES & MAIA (2006) também foi observado em nosso experimento. Por fim, os resultados apontam para 2 tipos de estruturas que podem interferir no processo de alongamento: Sentenças em que o atributo é formado por adjetivos deverbais (geração de uma fronteira CP) e sentenças que permitem construções de small clause (bloqueio da reestruturação). / The aim of this thesis is to analyze the use of syllable duration in Brazilian Portuguese (henceforth BP) as a prosodic cue in the perception and production of syntactically ambiguous sentences with a NP1-V-NP2-attribute structure (lit. The mother has found her daughter sweating). This type of sentence is produced in contexts where phonological phrases may be restructured, depending on how the sentences are interpreted. A reference for the present research was the study by MAGALHÃES & MAIA (2006), who also found sentences which ambiguity was due to the presence of an attribute that may refer to either the subject or the object of the clause. Phonologically, interpretations of the above-mentioned structure can be explained by the fact that attributes may or may not join the head in the construction of the phonological phrase domain, because lengthening is expected when there is a boundary (NESPOR & VOGEL, 1996). ANGELO & SANTOS (2015) found that the speakers in their study did not make significant lengthening; however, they tended to produce high attachment in longer sentences. It is suggested, therefore, that although lengthening exists in BP as a phenomenon, it is optional. If this is actually true, sentences should be interpreted as having high attachment whenever lengthening is produced. Otherwise, it is assumed that there is variation in perceptual responses or preference for low attachment (Low Attachment Principle, found in PB by MAGALHÃES & MAIA (2006), based on the Late Closure Principle proposed by Frazier (1979)). Data were collected with two tests. In the sentence-reading production test, 30 speakers from the study by ANGELO & SANTOS (2015)) and 20 new speakers read one version of each sentence, while 10 out of the former 30 read two versions, thus the corpus was made of a total of 720 sentences. The perception test used the three longest versions (with high attachment) and the three shortest versions (with low attachment) of each sentence. The informants who took the test chose the image that best represented the meaning that they assigned to each sentence. A total of 1620 data were produced. Overall results showed significant differences for type of structure (the informants lengthened and identified high attachments correctly). For sentence type, there were significant differences in most sentences, thus confirming the hypothesis that lengthening is optional in production and, once it has been performed, it can lead a sentence to be interpreted as having high attachment. For sentences with low attachment, the Low Attachment Principle suggested by MAGALHÃES & MAIA (2006) also occurred in our experiment. The findings signal two types of structures that may interfere with the lengthening process: sentences whose attribute is formed by deverbal adjectives (generation of a CP phrasal boundary) and sentences that allow small clause constructions (restructuring is blocked).

No description available.

Skeletal muscle is prone to damage from a range of stimuli. The muscle repair process that ensues is complex, involving several phases and requiring the participation of many different cell types. Among the cells involved are various immune cells including neutrophils, macrophages, monocytes, and eosinophils. More recently, T cells were added to this list of immune cells known to participate in effective muscle repair from traumatic injuries in mice. We recently published data showing that T cells also accumulate in human muscle following contraction-induced damage. These data suggested that T cells might be involved an adaptation known as the repeated bout effect that renders muscle protected from future damage after an initial exposure. This document contains research on the role of the immune system, particularly T cells, in the "repeated bout effect."

Background: The risk of future injury appears to be influenced by agonist fascicle length (FL), joint range of motion (ROM) and eccentric strength. Biomechanical observations of the torque-angle-relationship further reveal a strong dependence on these factors. In practice, a longer FL improves sprinting performance and lowers injury risk. Classical stretching is a popular and evidenced-based training for enhancing ROM but does not have any effects on FL and injury risk. However, recent studies show that eccentric-only training (ECC) improves both flexibility and strength, and effectively lowers risk of injury. Objectives: To review the evidence on benefits of ECC for flexibility and strength. Methods: COCHRANE, PUBMED, SCOPUS, SPOLIT, and SPONET were searched for laboratory trials that compare ECC to at least one comparison group. Studies were eligible if they examined both strength and flexibility metrics in a healthy sample (<65 years) and met criteria for controlled or randomized clinical trials (CCT, RCT). 18 studies have been included and successfully rated using the PEDro scale. Results: 16 of 18 studies show strong evidence of strength and flexibility enhancements for the lower limb. While improvements between ECC and concentric training (CONC) were similar for eccentric (+19 ± 10% vs. +19 ± 11%) and isometric strength (+16 ± 10% vs. +13 ± 6%), CONC showed larger improvements for concentric strength (+9 ± 6% vs. +16 ± 7%). While for ROM ECC showed improvements (+9 ± 7%), no results could be found for CONC. The overall effectiveness of ECC seems to be higher than of CONC. Conclusion: There is clear evidence that ECC is an effective method for changes in muscle architecture, leading to both flexibility and strength improvements for the lower limb. Due to limited data no shoulder study could be included. Further research is needed for the upper body joints with a focus on functional and structural adaptions.

Telomere maintenance is one of the mechanisms ensuring indefinite divisions of cancer and stem cells. Good understanding of telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMM) is important for studying cancers and designing therapies. However, molecular factors triggering selective activation of either the telomerase dependent (TEL) or the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway are poorly understood. In addition, more accurate and easy-to-use methodologies are required for TMM phenotyping. In this study, we have performed literature based reconstruction of signaling pathways for the ALT and TEL TMMs. Gene expression data were used for computational assessment of TMM pathway activities and compared with experimental assays for TEL and ALT. Explicit consideration of pathway topology makes bioinformatics analysis more informative compared to computational methods based on simple summary measures of gene expression. Application to healthy human tissues showed high ALT and TEL pathway activities in testis, and identified genes and pathways that may trigger TMM activation. Our approach offers a novel option for systematic investigation of TMM activation patterns across cancers and healthy tissues for dissecting pathway-based molecular markers with diagnostic impact.

A distração osteogênica tem sido extensamente empregada na correção da grave hipoplasia do terço médio da face de portadores de craniossinostose sindrômica. Contudo, poucos estudos têm apresentado os resultados da distração do terço médio da face através de avaliação cefalométrica. O objetivo do presente estudo foi o de avaliar os resultados obtidos com o avanço ósseo do terço médio da face após osteotomia tipo Le Fort III ou frontofacial em monobloco seguida da utilização de dispositivo rígido externo de distração (RED), em portadores de craniossinostose sindrômica, em termos de quantidade de alongamento ósseo, estabilidade esquelética e crescimento facial. Onze pacientes submetidos aos procedimentos de distração, de fevereiro de 2002 a janeiro de 2006, na unidade de cirurgia plástica do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, foram avaliados retrospectivamente. Seis pacientes eram portadores da síndrome de Crouzon, quatro da síndrome de Apert, e um da síndrome de Saethre-Chotzen. Onze pacientes foram submetidos ao procedimento de alongamento ósseo do terço médio da face através do uso de dispositivo externo rígido (RED), após osteotomias tipo Le Fort III (N = 4) ou frontofacial monobloco (N = 7). Foram avaliadas retrospectivamente três telerradiografias de face em norma lateral de cada paciente (T1- préoperatório; T2 - pós-operatório recente, logo após a remoção do distrator; T3 - pós-operatório tardio, obtida com um intervalo mínimo de 12 meses após cirurgia). Três cefalogramas foram obtidos de cada paciente, através da direta sobreposição das três telerradiografias, tomado como referência reparos anatômicos do crânio e da porção anterior da fossa craniana. Desta forma, os três traçados cefalométricos foram obtidos no mesmo papel acetato, o qual foi digitalizado. Utilizando o programa de computação gráfica de domínio público Image J, várias mensurações foram realizadas com a intenção de determinar a extensão do avanço sofrido pelos segmentos ósseos na direção do vetor do movimento esquelético, assim como de seus componentes horizontal e vertical, tomando como referência pontos A e orbitário. Pacientes foram ainda divididos em dois grupos (G 1 - pacientes submetidos à osteotomia tipo Le Fort III; G 2 - pacientes submetidos à osteotomia frontofacial em monobloco), e os dados obtidos a partir mensurações de ambos os grupos foram comparados. Avanço significativo do terço médio da face foi obtido com os procedimentos. O componente horizontal do movimento esquelético predominou ao componente vertical. A taxa de reposicionamento posterior horizontal tardio (perda de resultado) foi mínima. Quando comparados os dois procedimentos, foi observada uma diferença significativa entre os grupos Le Fort III e monobloco. A quantidade de avanço obtido foi maior no grupo monobloco que no grupo Le Fort III. Em termos perda de resultado, o grupo Le Fort III foi mais estável que o grupo monobloco. Foi observada uma evidente alteração vertical no posicionamento dos pontos de referência no pós-operatório tardio, se comparado ao pós-operatório recente, evidenciando crescimento na vertical da face, ao contrário do que ocorre na direção horizontal, onde existiu um pequeno reposicionamento posterior e nenhuma evidência de crescimento. / Distraction osteogenesis has been applied extensively to correct the severe midface hipoplasia in syndromic craniosynostosis patients. However few studies have reported midface distraction outcomes through cephalometric evaluation. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate outcomes with midface distraction after Le Fort III and frontofacial monobloc osteotomy using a rigid external device (RED) in patients with syndromic craniosynostosis, in terms of quantity of bone lengthening, skeletal stability and facial growth. Eleven patients underwent to midface distraction from February of 2002 to January of 2006 at the plastic surgery unit of The \'Hospital das Clínicas\' of the Medical School of The University of São Paulo were retrospectively evaluated. Six patients had Crouzon, four had Apert, and one had Saethre-Chotzen syndrome. The patients were submit to bone lengthening procedure of the midface using a rigid external device (RED) after osteotomy type Le Fort III (n=4) and frontofacial monobloc osteotomy (n=7). Three teleradiography were retrospectively evaluated of each patient (T1 - before surgery; T2- after surgery, rigth after distractor removal; T3 - after surgery, obtained with a minimal interval of 12 months after surgery). The three lateral cephalograms were obtained from each patient by direct teleradiography superimposition taken as references the anatomic repairs in the cranium and anterior skull base. This way the three cephalometric tracings were obtained in the same acetate paper which was digitalized. Utilizing a public domain program Image J, various mensurations were accomplished with intension of determine the extent of advancement suffered by the bone segments in the direction of vector skeletal movement and its horizontal and vertical components as well, as taken as references point A and orbitale. Patients still were divided between two groups (G 1- patients submitted to an osteotomy type Le Fort III; G 2- patients submitted to monobloc frontofacial osteotomy), and the data obtained from mensurations from both groups were compared. Significant midface advancement was achieved with the procedures. The horizontal component of the movement was predominant if compared to vertical. The rate of horizontal relapse was minimal. When compared the two procedures was noted a significant difference between Le Fort III and monobloc groups. The advancement rate was greater in monobloc than Le Fort III group. In terms of relapse Le Fort III group was more stable than monobloc group. In vertical direction was noted an evident altered position of the reference points at late postoperative period if compared with recent postoperative period given evidence of facial vertical direction growth, contrary from what occurred in horizontal direction where existed a small relapse and no growth.